Modern Girl in Middle Earth
by bharrison1996
Summary: Julia had a fairly good life. She was soon to be finishing her first year as a student nurse and she lived with her mum and dad who loved her. But when a huge thunderstorm hits England, she somehow is confronted with orcs, wargs, dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard. To add to her troubles, no one seems to be able to understand her. Constructive criticism welcomed.
1. mother of all thunderstorms

Author note: I don't own The Hobbit or any of its characters. I have read the book in the past and watched the movies. I'm interested in finding a beta reader to improve my writing if anyone is interested however, I do a lead a busy lifestyle due to university.

Two big green eyes blinked in a small side mirror lying on the kitchen table, as a lightly tanned hand unscrewed the lid of a mascara bottle and gently traced them over the lashes. The foundation covered lips gently parted as she tilted her head to get the very corners of the lashes coated with the black substance. Twisting the lid back on the mascara, she looked over her work. The reflection showed a young woman with dark brown hair tied loosely away from her face. Her eyes were delicately painted with a mixture of sparkly browns over her lids to contour and highlight their shape; the lashes gently lined with a thin flick of black eyeliner at the corners. Her eyes almost lit up and appeared bigger.

The young woman let out a defeated huff. Her eye makeup had improved considerably, but her foundation was still a shade too light for her skin and some red blemishes on her cheeks were till visible. The nude lipstick she had used went over her lip on one side, almost unnoticeable unless the observer was brutally scrutinising her makeup. But Julia could still see it. With a large feathery brush, she flicked some of the powder off her face and blended the edges to her natural arabesque skin.

Julia had never worn makeup when the other girls first seemed to discover the sparkling swatches of eyeshadow and shiny lip-gloss. She never had much interest in appearances. At fourteen, she modelled a short pixie hairstyle dyed navy blue, making her chubby face appear sickly pale. Having recently turned eighteen and now experiencing her final month of her first year of university, Julia found she enjoyed the therapeutic painting of colour on her eyelids. Putting on foundation as a skill she had yet to master. It was rare she was allowed the wear it anymore since she began her nurse training.

Still observing herself in the small mirror, Julia pulled the hair tie free and allowed her tresses to fall in waves around her shoulders. Picking up a small pink brush, Julia ran it through once more to make sure the knots were gone before finally feeling satisfied. She allowed herself to smile at the creation which had taken her an hour to do. She loved her eyes. It was easy to become self-conscious of her curvy waist and thick thighs which showed signs of cellulite when tensing, but she was proud of the emerald coloured ones she was born with.

Julia pulled on a figure hugging blue hoody over her black t-shirt and black leggings before turning back to the kettle and boiling some water for the fifth time. It was eleven AM on a Thursday morning. Outside was bright but cloudy, warning to the south-east coast of England that rain was soon to follow. Not that Julia minded. She had not finished work until midnight the night before and having no immediate plans decided to stay indoors with a cup of tea and a book.

"-over the past two days, northern England has been pounded with torrential rain, spectacular lightning and thunderstorms which appears to be making its way further sout-". Julia pushed a button on her phone to turn off the weather report, made herself a cup of tea and sat on the comfortable sofa in her mother's living room and watched the beginnings of rain spit from the clouds. She was quite content to do nothing today.

 **~O~**

So many thoughts rushed through the young hobbit's mind. Annoyance, anger, shock and more than a bit of confusion. His day had begun like any other day. He had devoured first and second breakfast and not long had eaten elevenses when he sat in his beloved porchway, smoking his pipe when that Valar-forsaken wizard had turned up. To think he was asking him to join on an adventure, of all things!

Bilbo had just settled down in his dining room, napkin neatly tucked into his shirt to protect his clothes from any mess, as he squirted some lemon juice over his fish when the doorbell interrupted him. Mildly irritated but too polite to ignore the unknown visitor, Bilbo folded his napkin and made his way to the entrance. Opening the door, a considerably muscular dwarf intimidatingly towered over him in his archway. The top of his head was bald but possessed a large impressive brown beard and long brown hair at the back of his scalp. The stranger wore a deep brown cloak, bowing to Bilbo before introducing himself, "Dwalin, at your service". Bilbo nervously returned the polite gesture before his guest let himself into his home and helped himself to his dinner.

Not long after another Dwarf knocked on his door in a similar fashion. Bowing, introducing himself as "Balin" and offering his service to Bilbo before joining Dwalin in the kitchen to raid his cupboards.

Now, here Bilbo stood in the middle of his own corridor attempting to stop four dwarfs from ransacking his pantry and redecorate the entire contents of his kitchen! The last two dwarves had arrived together (Kili and Fili was it?) To make matters worse, no amount of scolding, pleading or begging made them leave. It was a chaotic and terrible evening at the last!

Another knock at the door spurred on Bilbo's infuriation. Dropping the pile of knives and swords of his unexpected guests to the floor, Bilbo quickly shuffled to the entrance calling to the visitors "No! There's nobody home! Go away and bother somebody else! There's far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is." Irritably clasping the brass nob of the door, Bilbo yanked the it open, allowing a pile of dwarfs to sprawl onto his welcome mat.

Bilbo observed the scene with widened eyes and his mouth dropped open before looking up to see a smiling old man dressed in all grey and a pointy hat, leaning on a staff.

"Gandalf".

 **~O~**

Julia yawned before lightly blinking her eye open, only to realise she was in complete darkness. There were no sounds emitting through the house to indicate if her mum or dad had come home from work and she could not see the familiar flashing blue light of the internet router. There must have been a power cut, she thought to herself. How long was I asleep for if it's this dark already? Julia hesitated to sit herself up on the sofa, she hated the darkness. She knew it was childish but she just could not seem to shake her fear of the dark. Her over active imagination thinking of monsters and ghosts traveling around the house waiting to capture her.

Shaking her irrational fears from her mind, Julia sat up and screamed as a large flash of lightening darted across the sky, followed by a deafening round of thunder. Julia attempted to calm her beating heart and took a deep breath. It's just the storm, she repeated to herself. Julia pushed herself into a kneeling position on the sofa to look up at the sky but could not see anything. All lights on the street and houses had been switched off.

Another flash of lightening struck but this time it travelled through the window and struck Julia in the chest, sending her soaring backwards and unconscious.


	2. An Unexpected Party

Authors note: I do not own anything from the hobbit or lord of the rings. I am planning to try to stick closely to the book with some bits thrown in so hopefully you'll enjoy it. Also, big thankyou to my beta reader Krystal Lazuli for your input. You're a great help.

Bilbo starred into the now empty pantry. Some of the shelves had shards of glass broken on them and a few crumbs of bread; the only evidence of the cupboard's contents before the dwarves had grabbed hold of every last piece. Somehow in the space of an hour, Bilbo's four guests turned into twelve (not including Gandalf). As if that wasn't enough, he could hear them shouting and merry making at his dining table, small amounts of food being thrown at one another, ale sloshing all over his carpet as the dwarves knocked mugs together before they all gulped down its contents. He had given up attempting to take anything off of the beasts when they found the meats and cheeses. He had never in his life met such ill-mannered and disgusting men as these. It nearly brought him to tears seeing how his mother and father's beautiful home had been disrespected so. "Confound these dwarves!"

"Bilbo, whatever's the matter?" Gandalf ducked under the doorway exiting the kitchen with a concerned expression upon his face for the young hobbit. "All these dwarves! I don't understand what they're doing in my house!" What added insult to injury is that none of them seemed to understand anything as wrong!

"Well I think they're a merry gathering!" Gandalf chuckled, observing as Nori and Bofur began to play 'tug-of-war' with a string or sausages, "once you get used to them".

"I don't want to get used to them!" Bilbo angrily whispered. "Look at my kitchen! There's mud trod in the carpet! Th-th-they've pillaged the pantry! I don't understand what they're doing here!"

Before Gandalf could respond, there was one loud knock on the door, commanding everyone in the house to fall silent. "He's here" Gandalf simply stated with a sombre expression, walking to the green circular door and opening it to reveal the stranger.

He had a long, well groomed black mane brushed back neatly and his beard trimmed but still long. A braid laid either side of his head with an impressive metal bead at the end of both, embellished with beautifully crafted runes.

"Ah, Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find." The man walked in, his strong build and the way he carried himself demanded respect and authority without any words needing to be spoken. He stepped through the door unclasping his long fur-lined cloak. He nodded respectfully to each of the dwarves. "I lost my way, twice. T'would not have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door".

Bilbo's ears pricked at that. Mark on the door? "Mark? There's no mark on that door, it was painted a week ago!" he cried, pushing through the group to inspect the paint but was stopped by Gandalf shutting the entry.

"There is a mark, I put it there myself" Gandalf explained gently, his eyes sparkling as he offered a small smile to the young hobbit. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

Bilbo turned to meet eyes with the most recent member of his guests. 'Thorin' slightly raised his chin and looked down his nose at Bilbo. "So, this is the hobbit," he smiled taking a step closer and staring intently down at Bilbo. It was difficult for Bilbo not to feel intimidated. Thorin began to circle him, "Tell me Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting? Axe or Sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

Bilbo's head began to swim, becoming very aware of the eyes of thirteen dwarves upon him. "Well I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know," he stated proudly before realising what he said. "But then I fail to see why that's relevant," he sputtered as a blush appeared across his cheeks.

Thorin scoffed. "Thought as much, he looks more like a grocer than a burglar." The other dwarves laughed as Thorin smiled and walked to sit at the had of the dining table, collecting a plate of meat and a flask of ale.

Bilbo, more than a little offended, waited a few minutes before begrudgingly following the group into the dining room.

"-What do the dwarves of the iron hill say? Are they staying with us?" Dwalin asked, sitting next to Thorin, watching as his leader swallowed a mouthful of bread. Thorin's gaze dropped to the table as he put the food down and gazed at his company. "They will not come," he stated neutrally. The room was eerily quiet as the dwarves accepted what Thorin had informed them. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo shrunk slightly under the gazes of the dwarves.

"Bilbo, my good fellow, let us have a little more light," Gandalf smiled. Bilbo did as he was told and when he returned he found there was a map laid across the table. "Far to the East, through the ranges and the rivers, the old woodlands, the wastelands, lies a single solitude peak."

Bilbo leaned over the table and observed the map, his eyes gazing over the drawing of a dragon flying around the top of a mountain. "The lonely mountain," he muttered.

"Aye! Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time!" A fiery redheaded dwarf detailed. Bilbo thought he'd heard his name was Gloin.

"Ravens have been seen flocking back-"

Before Oin could finish his sentence, the room appeared to flash with a blinding white light before all the candles blew out and a large object fell from the ceiling into the middle of the table, sending ale spilling over the sides.

The Dwarves jumped off their chairs and stood in defensive stances around the table, ready to fight whatever had interrupted their meeting. Bilbo stood in a state of shock as Gandalf used his staff to relight the candles, allowing the company to see clearly who or what had arrived.

 **~O~**

Julia was aware she was had landed hard on her back, the air being knocked harshly from her lungs leaving her winded. She attempted to gasp but couldn't manage to breath in as her eyes attempted to make sense of her surroundings in the dark. She'd never been hit by lightning, but now she could definitely confirm it was not a pleasant experience and she would definitely not recommend it to a friend. Flickers of light emitted around her allowing her to see she was looking up at a rather old fashioned styled ceiling with arched beams holding it up. Strange, she thought. We don't have beams in our house.

A loud harsh sounding voice resonated in a language Julia couldn't place before she realised she was not alone. Twisting her head to the left, her green eyes locked with a large, intimidating man with a bald head and faint tattoos across his scalp. Bolting upright, Julia looked around her noticing other large intimidating men circling her; none of them looked very impressed with her. In a blind panic, Julia kicked herself off of the table between a gap of the men leading down a winding corridor; her action acting as a catalyst for the shouts and throwing of objects of the men. Without looking behind her, Julia dove through various circular doorways revealing furniture, a bedroom and a study. Despite her efforts to run, she could not find a doorway to escape and the threatening group had followed her closely. Her last option was a window above a small blue bed which may just open wide enough for her to squirm out of. As she jumped on the bed and attempted to pull herself to safety, a great, beefy arm encircled her waist and yanked her from her freedom causing a scream to escape her lips.

"Let me go! Let me go! What are you doing!?" Julia attempted to throw her elbow back at her captor's face, but he had quickly immobilised her arms to her side. She swung, hoping to kick something sensitive enough to be dropped but her pursuer was a great deal bigger than her and held her effortlessly off the floor, turning back the way she had run from.

Three men stood inspecting with wide eyes, traveling over her face and body almost in as much shock and confusion as she had felt as she was carried through the archway back to the table. Before Julia had time to make sense of anything, she was roughly dropped to sit on a small wooden chair with her hands held behind her back and face to face with a regal long black haired male glaring at her.

He growled an unintelligible sentence at her with a scowl, giving Julia the impression he was not a patient man. She met his gaze and stared fearfully in his severe expression with an almost awkward silence emanating the room. "… I-I'm sorry, what?" The group of surrounding men appeared shocked and muddled at her answer and whispered other unintelligible sounds before her interrogator silenced them by holding a hand in the air. He did not seem impressed to say the least which added to Julia's anxiety. He appeared to repeat whatever language he was speaking louder and slower, but Julia still did not understand what he was trying to say.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand you. I don't know if I've hit my head hard, but I can't understand anything you're trying to tell me," she choked out. This only seemed to make him angrier but before he could produce any sounds from his mouth, a giant, lanky elderly man with a long grey cloak placed his hand on her captor's shoulder. How on earth did he grow that big? Julia's chest felt tight realising she may not be in a very safe position, particularly as she could not speak or understand the language being spoken to her. Her breathing increased to hyperventilating and her eyes began to sting with tears.

 **~O~**

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The young girl shrunk into her seat with eyes as wide as saucepans as she stared back at Thorin. It was not a difficult question, but of course, if she was a spy she would not answer questions freely. After a few moments, the small woman replied barely over the volume of a whisper but nothing he could make sense of.

"Was she speaking in common tongue? I can't make out what she said"

"That was no language I've heard in my life time."

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Thorin repeated more aggressively, noting as she shook slightly in her chair. She was either a very good spy and actress or completely dumb to the language he was using. But again she shook and replied in an nonsensical tongue.

"Thorin, do not be so rough to a lady, especially one of your own kin. Do you not see she is one of the dwarrow? She's too small for any human girl I have seen," Gandalf intercepted.

"No female dwarf has ever shaved off her beard or worn clothes in such a fashion as these," Thorin snapped, almost offended that Gandalf had even suggested such a thing.

"Yes, I can see your point and I have noticed the unusual attire." Gandalf towered over the girl and observed the black material over her legs and the strange blue hooded garment she wore. Even her shoes did not seem to match anything they had seen in any part of middle earth.

"Hello little one" Gandalf began, kneeling in front of the young girl, noticing as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Do not be frightened, how have you appeared to us in such a way?" But still the girl showed no signs of understanding what had been said.

"If she refuses to talk, we must treat her as a spy until proven otherwise. How else would she have arrived at such a precise moment when discussing the plan?" Thorin rationalised; the other dwarves nodded in agreement.

"Surely that's a little harsh-" Bilbo began but stopped himself when noticing the glare Thorin aimed at him.

"Dwalin, tie her to the chair. She will remain there until we leave in the morning. She must be kept a close eye on".


	3. A Surprising Journey

Authors note: I do not own anything from the hobbit or lord of the rings. I am planning to try to stick closely to the book with some bits thrown in so hopefully you'll enjoy it. Also, big thankyou to my beta reader Krystal Lazuli for your input. You're a great help.

"Nithul."… "Nithul!"

Julia jolted awake to a sharp poke between her ribs, bringing her face to face with a black bearded man with eccentric, bushy hair … and an axe stuck in his head?!

Letting out a horrified gurgling noise from her throat, she pushed herself to a sitting position, cracking the right side of her head against a shelf corner on her way. Blinking away the silver stars seeping in at the edges of her vision, Julia examined the injured man in front of her and recollected her thoughts. She remembered being forced into a chair and then being questioned by a fur-adorned, long haired muscle-man in some gobbledegook language she couldn't even begin to understand.

 _They all seem to love the long beard look here. Either that or none of them known how to use a razor,_ she thought to herself as her eyes scanned the grey streaked hair in her companion's plaited beard before resting her eyes again on the leftovers of a golden handle of an axe, embedded in his skull. The older man stared back at Julia, no obvious signs of pain being shown and seemingly observing her as well.

Moving completely on impulse, Julia reached her hand up as if to lightly touch the injured man's forehead, but she never reached it as he harshly wrapped his fingers around her wrist, firmly but not painfully. Still, it had enough force to frighten Julia into freezing like a statue, her green eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"Idribtu," he voiced, sternly. Julia did not move or attempt to ask what he had said, still terrified by the larger, older male.

In one fluid motion, the man let go of Julia, bringing his left hand across his breast and bowing before ushering Julia out of the room. As he nudged her out, Julia looked over her shoulder and observed the small room she had been laying in one last time. The light brown colour of the walls complimented the autumn orange single bed laid against it underneath a high, circular window with no curtains. Around the room, there was a dark varnished chest of draws, matching a wardrobe. She never remembered being moved from the initial chair she had been forced to sit in. With a nauseous feeling in her stomach, Julia's mouth dried up as she began to wonder if she had passed out or been drugged by her captors. Horror stories from her home flooded her brain of young girls having pills slipped in their drinks before they had horrible things done to them.

A vigorous prod to her shoulder pulled Julia from her dark thoughts and guided her out of the house she had fallen into, she was greeted by the sight of fourteen horses, twelve of them already mounted by the group of men. One of the men, wearing a hat and styled his hair with two large braids reminding her of Pippy Long-stocking, bowed his hat to Julia and offered her a smile, but it did nothing to reassure her. She was very aware she was being studied.

The leader of the group, Julia assumed, walked his steed to the entrance of the house, stopping when Julia's nose was nearly pressed against the equine's. His eyes pierced into Julia's, rendering her petrified. She heard him say something but did not register it, she felt her arms being lifted in front of her and before she could complain, her wrists were bound and the end of the rope given to the leader.

"Oi, no, get these off," the rope pulled tight, yanking Julia onto her knees and grazing them on the step, cutting off anymore words of complaint she had thought to voice. Julia snapped her mouth closed and scrambled to her feet before the horse turned and she was forced to follow.

 **~O~**

Thorin tossed the end of the rope to Dwalin who caught it effortlessly and willingly.

"Uncle is this really necessary?" Fili quavered, discretely watching as the young girl pushed herself to her feet with a grimace and biting her bottom lip. Her eyes fixed to the hooves of Thorin's horse, avoiding any eye contact with the dwarves.

"Fili, I understand your concern. But the quest of Erebor is too important a task to allow potential spies to carry away any details. She may plan to hinder our efforts. Make her walk, if she is a spy, she'll soon confess," Thorin justified, nudging his pony ahead of the group as they followed.

"And what if she isn't a spy?" Fili inquired.

"Something isn't ordinary about this girl. At present, I think it's beneficial to keep her close by. For now, she walks."

Fili was sceptical but did not reply, sharing a glance with his brother. He reluctantly accepted his uncle's rationale and continued with their quest.

 **~O~**

Julia felt awful. Her feet were soaked and painful, her shoes had rubbed on the backs of her heels as well as the rope digging into skin of her wrists. She never had a very high threshold for pain and the only thing that stopped her from whining was knowing that it would fall on deaf ears. That and she was worried they'd pull her unkindly by the rope and hurt her wrists more than they already were … or worse. She didn't understand why she was being treated like this? Why had she been kidnapped? What were they going to do to her?

A sudden shouting grasped her attention. The giant of a man, dressed in a grey cloak had met her and the gaggle of men in the middle of a forest where they seemed to have made camp for the moment. He did not appear happy. He followed the shorter leader around the campfire her captors had made, not ceasing his efforts even when the leader began to show signs of boredom on his face and disinterest, focusing his attention on map.

Looking around the camp, she took in her surroundings. They appeared to have found the remains of a structure for an house. An old one by her standards. It was in the middle of the clearing of the woods, raised slightly on top a slight hill and surrounded by boulders. Most of the men had huddled around a campfire they had made with a large black pot hoisted over it. She assumed they were attempting to make a meal for the group but had not paid much attention to them. Two of the men, one with golden like hair and beard, the other long brown hair with stubble had concentrated on moving the ponies slightly further away at the forest's edge to give them food and water, she hadn't seen them since. Not far from her sat a very small, curly haired man with large bare feet leaning against a rock, his attentions currently aimed at a handkerchief which had various mud scraped and stains across it and was dripping with water due to the heavy rain that day. Hi hair clung to his forehead and the brown waistcoat he had travelled in was now early black due it's absorption of water.

Julia's attention snapped back to the large man in grey now walking towards her, his agitation now replaced with a calmer expression as he walked towards her and kneeled next to her. When they'd arrived at the destination, Julia's hands had been immediately tied to a remaining beam of the house structure. Far enough from the group to be isolated, but close enough to be kept an eye on.

She watched as the older man picked at the rope, causing her to hiss as it rubbed against her already raw skin. This seemed to make the man frown and he walked back to the group. Julia watched him pick something up but she was concerned that she couldn't see what it was. He concealed it within his cloak before returning to his kneeled position next to her. Only then did she notice he had picked up a small knife.

"You get that thing away from me!" She shouted, kicking and shuffling herself as far away from the man the rope would allow, ignoring the rushes of pain that travelled up her arm.

"It is alright, young madam. I only brought it to free you."

Julia stopped in shock. The elderly man had spoken in pure, clear English. No stammering or mispronunciation at all. "What the hell? You can speak English?" She cried, furrowing her brow. She leaned forwards unconsciously with a small amount of amazement. "Why did you pretend you couldn't understand me?!" She shouted bitterly.

"Calm yourself, young one. I did not understand you before as I did not have the spells or power to know how. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey." He smiled, bowing his long grey hat before offering his hand towards Julia's. Reluctantly, she allowed him to see her wrists and carefully watched him swipe them with knife allowing her to move her hands once again. Something about the man was soothing, inviting almost. He reminded her of a loving grandparent in some ways. Sucking in air through her teeth, Julia brought her shaking hands towards her face and observed the deep rubbing marks the rope had caused, the pain increasing now the air had reached the wounds.

"Why was I tied up? Why am I being kidnapped like this?"

"My dear, I must apologise. It has been no one's intention to make you feel like a prisoner, let alone make you believe you had been kidnapped. You gave us quite a round of excitement when you dropped through Master Bilbo's ceiling, interrupting our meeting," he stated, a slight snort escaping his nostrils. Julia couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt but then annoyance as she thought to herself she hadn't planned to do just that.

"Well, I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't even think that was possible for anyone to do. I was minding my own business at home and that weird storm knocked me there. Now, if you wouldn't mind helping me get out of here and point me in the right direction of a train station I'll leave you to your weird hiking quest thing." Julia observed the look of confusion suddenly expressed through Gandalf's face. "Train station?" he queried. "I must assure you madam, there is not such thing as a train station here. The only travel possible here is through walking or by horse. You are obviously not from around here, judging by the language you speak as well."

"Yes about that," Julia snapped. "Why have you only chosen to speak to me now?! What do you mean you didn't have the 'power or spells' to speak to me?" Julia began to think this man was showing some signs of insanity. He didn't really think he was some kind of magician did he?

"Exactly that," he smiled. "After you first landed in Master Bilbo's kitchen I decided I needed to visit a more experienced wizard-"

"Wizard!?" Julia interrupted, nearly shouting in disbelief. "Yes my dear, for that is what I am. There are five of us altogether. Yours is a case I have not seen. I visited Saruman the White for his counsel. After much discussion and research of old spells I found a rather clever one. Not used for many years since the elves and men began interacting with each other. It allows it's user to listen to any language being spoken and to be able to converse in their tongue. Very handy, don't you think?"

Julia felt sick. She must be going mad. Maybe she knocked her head and she was currently unconscious. "This is madness."

"Mad or not, we are in a difficult predicament right now … do you know, I never got your name," he pondered, watching her curiously.

With some hesitation, Julia rubbed her wrists before whispering "Julia."

"Well, Julia. You have come to us in dangerous times. We are currently undertaking a hazardous adventure, with little time to try to take you home now. The only option I may advise you to take, would be to travel with us to Lord Elrond, but it would not be wise to mention this to the Dwarves. Dwarves have an age old grudge against elves."

"Dwarves? Elves? What on earth are you talking about? They don't exist! They're fairy tales!"

Gandalf gave a her sad smile. "You really are not from this world are you?" Julia opened her mouth to reply before stopping to think over what he had said. None of this was making much sense. "This group is made up of thirteen dwarves and now one hobbit. I must admit, when seeing the size of you I thought you had some dwarven ancestry, you're very petite."

Julia was in too much shock to reply. Her head was swimming with all the information she had been given. She felt suddenly short of breath and she was overcome with a wave of heat. "I can't…" Before she could finish her sentence, Julia's vision turned black.


	4. Things are not as they seem

Something I wrote when I should have been sleeping ... I don't own the lord of the rings or the hobbit.

The strange contrast of warmth flooding her face and cold against her side woke Julia from her dreamless sleep. With a quiet grown, she slowly opened her eyes just enough to see the tiny fire she was laid close to her. _I'm home!_ Julia smiled as she pushed herself to sit up right. Her screaming wrists made her grimace as she was bought back to this supernatural reality. Julia couldn't help but feel completely miserable as she stared at the dusty floor and the old, thin blanket which appeared to have been folded for her head to rest on. _I'll never get out of here._

"Ah good evening Miss Julia. How are you feeling?" Julia wistfully glanced to her left, seeing the old man "Gandalf" dress in grey, sit himself on a nearby log, holding on to a large stick with a strange carving at the end. Julia noted how the ends intertwined and would normally have been impressed. She shrugged and averted her gaze to her wrist, lightly rubbing her thumb across the new grazes. She could feel his gaze on the side of her face but she allowed the fringe of her hair to fall, blocking her view of him. She didn't want him to see the tears beginning to build up. She didn't need his sympathy.

"What is on your mind child?" he gently placed his hand on her shoulder, comfortingly. Before she could open her mouth to answer, a large block of wood was thrown into the fire, throwing sparks in nearly every direction. Looking further up, julia locked eyes with the burliest man she had seen in her life towering over her on the other side of the fire, his long beard and intricate tattoos across his head were intimidating to say the least and he refused to blink forcing julia to look back at her wrists.

"Er kregan en fraing?" He growled deeply, the snarl sending a chill down Julia's spine. She would not consider herself to be someone who scared easily, however being dropped on a strangers table out of no where and being forced to follow 15 armed men who did not speak english was enough for her to lose her nerve.

-x-

"Is she an enemy?" Gandalf scowled at Dwalin as he moved to seat himself against a log. "None of the sort, Master Dwalin. Simply a lost young lady who has appeared here against her will."

"How can you be sure?"

"I have heard of stories regarding time travel and wizards who have managed to travel to other worlds, I have never heard of people form other worlds appearing here however. Though not impossible."

"Don't be ridiculous Gandalf," Thorin bellowed as he walked towards the fire. "You expect us to believe she is not a spy after dropping literally in our laps whilst discussing the plan to take back Erebor?"

"Do NOT accuse me of being ridiculous, Thorin" Gandalf barked, his whole face pulling into a serious expression. The change in tone was enough to take back both of the warriors, the young girl tensing as he spoke. "I have taken part in things you would not even dream of. She is not of any harm to you or your company. Why she is here I have yet to find out, but until a more appropriate time and place is available, she remains with you."

Julia listened to the three appear to argue between themselves. The sky was pitch black with thousands of stars dotted across, much more than in England. She took in the vast amounts of trees and felt her chest begin to get tight. _I cant stay here. I need to get out._ Slowly and quietly, Julia crawled away from the three men towards the outer ring of the trees. She didn't care where she went right now but she just wanted to find her way home. Her hand laid against the bark and looked over her shoulder one last time. No one had noticed her disappearance as of yet. With a sigh of relief, Julia began her walk into the forest feeling happier and determined within herself. But it was short lived.

A callous hand wrapped around her elbow and yanked her back into the lighted area, forcing a scream to escape her lips. Without thinking, Julia threw her fist towards her captor, pain shooting through her knuckles as it collided with them, a hiss of pain escaping the strangers lips.

"DUAG FAEGONAN METT!" Julia was thrown to the floor, fiery hair sweeping across her vision as the wind was knocked from her lungs. She stared up at her attacker; large red main with a long beard to match and braids around his mouth with small silver beads on the ends. His eyes wide with rage. He raised his fist in the air, Julia clutched her eyes shut but she never felt the blow. Opening one eye, she saw he had been ripped backwards, she supposed by the leader of the company by his large fur cloak.

"Stanstakk." His tone showed he was not giving a suggestion. The whole forest remained silent. The rest of the men had formed a semi cirlce behind the tall man, all grasping a weapon of some description. The fur cloak turned revealing the impressive man with long black hair. His eyes burned into her and the corner of his lip slightly curled. He muttered something to Gandalf who stood nearby. "Julia we are not trying to harm you." "Sod off aren't you! You kidnapped me, you're keeping me away from my family!" She spat, a tear dropping down her cheek and she pushed herself along the floor. "We are not." The leader and the fiery red head walked back towards the fire, 11 of the men replacing their weapons and returning to their food. Except one tiny man with curly hair and no shoes on his feet.

Bilbo slowly walked towards the young girl, trying to make himself as tiny and unthreatening as possible as her noted her shaking. No lady should be made to feel scared like this, it's just bad manners! He pulled a sorry excuse for a handkerchief from his breast pocket and gently offered it to the young girl. She stared distrustingly for a brief moment before shockingly taking it form his hands. "What's your name?" Bilbo asked. When he received no answer he turned to Gandalf. "She does not understand you Bilbo. She is from a very different plane to here" Gandalf said softly as he watched his friend. "You can speak with her though can't you? You must be able to explain to her what's going on?" Bilbo begged.

"I am trying my friend, but she is a very terrified young woman. She believes she has been kidnapped, and by some means she has. Her suspicions most likely increased by her treatment of these brutish and idiotic dwarves tying her up" Gandalf frowned before his gaze softened and he looked at the young girl.

In a language Bilbo could not begin to understand, he assumed Gandalf was introducing him to the girl as his name was spoken fluently in the sentence. The girl moved her gaze from the wizard to Bilbo. she accepted the handkerchief and began to dab her eyes with it. "Bilbo I must leave to consult the higher order of this matter. This is Brooke. She does not speak any of the common tongue, nor any other language of middle earth. I am relying on you to look after her until I return".

Bilbo choked. "M-ME? Why me? I don't know what I'm doing here? Im no warrior!" "Exactly why I am trusting you to be Julia's companion. She does not need a warrior, she needs a friend." Bilbo sputtered but closed his mouth indignantly. There was no point arguing with Gandalf. With that Gandalf swung his cloak out of his way and walked towards his horse, mounting him and leaving as quickly as if he'd never been there in the first place.

Julia stared at the tiny man after she watched Gandalf leave. He offered a small smile before gently holding her hand and pulling it towards hims as he stood. He continued to pull until Julia stood herself up, towering over him by a good head's height. He began to walk towards the fire, pulling her behind him slowly and she more willingly followed. He seemed different to the others. he was a lot softer in the way he approached her. Much like Gandalf. She noted he pulled her to sit near the fire but on the opposite side from the other men who had already began eating. He stared at her for a long time, enough to begin making her feel uncomfortable; she furrowed her brow. With a small smile, the man pointed to his own chest and said "Bilbo". Julia was a little surprised but gave a small smile. Copying his gesture, Julia pointed to herself, simultaneously saying "Julia".


End file.
